Overview

• He announced his resignation from the Japan Sumo Association on June 9 after the indefinite closure of his stable following misconduct by his protege.
• The stable was shut in April 2024 when Hokuseiho allegedly assaulted lower-ranked wrestlers and stole money, and Hakuho was sanctioned for failing to rein in his protege’s behavior.
• He plans to establish a global governing body called the World Sumo Grand Slam to expand the sport beyond Japan and engage amateur wrestlers internationally.
• Corporate sponsors, including Toyota Motor Corp. chairman Akio Toyoda, have expressed interest in backing Hakuho’s World Sumo Grand Slam project.
• Hakuho won a record 45 top-division tournaments before retiring in 2021, became a Japanese citizen in 2019, and has since coached emerging talent.